Rarely seen, ‘weird looking’ tropical bird comes in from the cold

Lindsay Kines / Times Colonist

FEBRUARY 1, 2018 06:00 AM

June Pigeon had never seen anything like it before.

She works at Ogden Point and about noon on Monday noticed a “weird looking bird” on the pier.

 “He was just sort of standing there and he had his head underneath his wings,” she said. “He was just shaking and shivering. You could get right up to him and he’d just look at you, but he wasn’t moving too far.”

It was terrible weather that day, so Pigeon took a couple of pictures and called the B.C. SPCA to ask for advice. She was told to put the bird in a box with holes in it and set the box in a dark place.

The bird put up no resistance. “He was obviously so cold,” Pigeon said.

She set the box in a building where it was warmer and, later that day, one of her colleagues delivered the bird to the SPCA.

Meanwhile, Pigeon posted the bird’s picture on Facebook in hopes that somebody could identify it.

Source  

Rare tropical bird found in Victoria dies from its injuries

A brown booby, a tropical bird rarely seen in the cool climate of the Pacific Northwest, is recovering after it was found injured at Ogden Point. Jan. 31, 2018. (Courtesy Wild ARC)

CTV Vancouver Island
Published Sunday, February 4, 2018 3:31PM PST
Last Updated Sunday, February 4, 2018 3:34PM PST

A rare bird recovering at the SPCA’s Wild Arc Rehabilitation Centre in Metchosin died over the weekend after it was found injured at Ogden Point on Monday.

A female brown booby about two years old was found with a puncture wound in its chest, about 30 per cent under weight and with cuts on its feet.

In a statement the centre says the bird’s health dramatically declined despite antibiotics and tube feeding.

 “Wild ARC staff are thankful to the finder that rescued the animal and called Wild ARC, and for all the public concern for this unique patient,” the statement reads. “Our solace is that she is no longer suffering.”

The tropical birds are typically found in California, Mexico and Hawaii and it's rare for them to be spotted here, the SPCA says.

Continued 

Rare Brown Boobies discovered on the Channel Islands

Oscar Flores 

Posted: Nov 08, 2017 06:10 PM PST

Updated: Nov 08, 2017 06:10 PM PST

VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. - A rare species of seabird known as the Brown Booby has been discovered nesting on the Channel Islands off the coast of Ventura County for the first time.

This discovery signifies a significant northward expansion of the Brown Booby's breeding range, which was previously believed to be confined to tropical or subtropical areas.

Biologists discovered four nests and 102 individual birds on Sutil Island off the southwest end of Santa Barbara Island during a survey on Nov. 3, 2017, according to a news release by Channel Islands National Park.

Adult birds appeared to be either incubating eggs or tending to young in the nests, according to the news release.

"This discovery, once again, demonstrates the importance of the Channel Islands as critical seabird habitat," said Channel Islands National Park Superintendent Russell Galipeau. "This makes for a total of 14 species of breeding seabirds, birds that rely upon the rich marine resources and the isolation of these offshore islands to provide food and undisturbed nesting grounds safe from predators."

Continued  

Rare tropical brown booby sighting stuns Charlotte bird world

JUNE 22, 2016 7:14 AM

Tropical bird almost never makes an NC appearance

It’s one of the most unusual species to ever occur in our area

By Taylor Piephoff

I have written about rarities that are attracted to large inland reservoirs, but I never thought I would be writing about this one: A brown booby has appeared at Lookout Shoals Lake on the Catawba County/Iredell County line, specifically at the Sharon Boat Access area.

I have seen the species only twice in North Carolina, both times at the coast. The species is considered a true rarity anywhere in the state, even along the coast or offshore.

Boobies are a family of large, mostly tropical, heavy-bodied plunge-divers. One northern species, the Northern gannet, is a familiar winter sight from our coastal beaches. The other species are found over tropical open oceans where they dive head-first for fish in the warm waters or along the warm Gulf Stream as it flows north. Occasionally an individual of one of several species will show up on a Southeastern beach, jetty or buoy marker.

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